A social networking service is an online platform which people use to build social networks with other users. Social networking services vary in format and the number of features and can incorporate a range of new information and communication tools, operating on desktops and on laptops, on mobile devices such as tablet computers and smartphones. Users of social networking services may interact with one another through personalized user profiles.
A user profile is a visual display of personal data associated with a specific user, or a customized desktop environment. A profile refers therefore to the explicit digital representation of a person or entity's identity. A profile can be used to store the description of the characteristics of a person. This information can be exploited by systems taking into account the persons' characteristics and preferences.